Engine



Dec. 5, 193g. E. wHRlTENoUR ENGIN Filed July 26, 1938 4 Sheets-Sheet l Dec. 5, IQBS. E. wHRlTENoUR ENGINE 4 Sheets-Sheet` 2 Filed July 26, 1938 INVENTOR, Ed ward Wrtfenmgv,

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ATTORNEY.

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ENGINE I Filed July 26, 1938 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 E. WHRITENOUR ENGINE Filed July 2e, 1958 L4 Sheets-sheet 4 INVENTOR, A

ATTORNEY.

Patented Dec. 5, 1939 UNITED STATE-s PATENT CFFICE ENGINE Edward Whrltenour, Haledon, N. J.

Application JuLv 26, 1928, Serial No. 221,293 4 9 Claims. (CI. 123-11) This invention relates to rotary internal-combustion engines, and more particularly it relates to engines of this class characterized by a rotor turning always in one direction and a piston which, while rotatively progressing around the axis of and in the rotor, does so intermittently, the rotor and piston for that purpose being intergeared.

The rotor` in my engine is cylindrical and ar- 10 ranged coaxialy of and in the cylinder and in and coaxially of the rotor is the piston. The rotor and piston have alternating partitions extending lengthwise of the cylinder axis and dividing the rotor interior into four independent working spaces. The cylinder has two pairs of openings, each pair comprising an intake and an exhaust, and the four working spaces of the rotor respectively have ports, and there is a peculiar coordination of these openings and ports whereby,

without valves as independently movable parts,

each working spaceA is active during every revolution of the engine, that is, undergoing one of the intake, compression, explosion and exhaust stages; further, so far as the engine proper is g5 concerned, there need be only six moving parts, for instance, in the example to be set forth, rotor, piston, two planet-gears in mesh with a fixed gear forming, in effect, a part of the cylinder, and two links to connect said planet-gears,

respectively, With eccentric points, as of a double crank, of the piston structure.

Other unique features are hereinafter set forth,

among which is the circumstance that the ignition and lubricating are accomplished in a quite simple and reliable manner and obtain actuation directly from the rotary parts of the engine.

In the drawings, Fig. l is a vertical sectional view of the engine o in the vertical plane of the axis of piston shaft il but showing the piston and the near rotor head i3 in elevation;

Figs. 2 and 3 are sections on lines 2--2 and Fig. 10 shows the piston with its shaft in section and its blades in side elevation and the rotor in section;

Fig. 11 is a top plan o! the cylinder with the ns omitted; and 5 Figs. 12, 13 and 14 are a side, plan and isometric fragmentary view of an improved form of sealing device.

The cylinder, generally designated A in Figs. l, 4 and 11, is formed by the cylindrical shell 10 i and heads 2 and 3, each head forming a housing and being secured to the shell by screws 4. Axially ofiset from each other the shell has two pairs of openings 5 6 and. 5cl-8a; openings 5-5a may be taken as intakes and openings 15 -Sa as exhausts, or vice v'ersa, the former being the intakes if the direction of rotation of the engine (viewed from theright) is clockwise. The intakes have equal leads on the exhausts, or are equallyadvancedrotativelyrelativetotheexhausts. 20 For a purpose to appear the openings 5-8 yhave a lead on or are offset rotatively with respect to the openings 5cl-6a. The cylinder may have provision for cooling it, as ns 1. The head 2. provides an internal annular seat at 2a and head 25 3 a similar seat at 3a, both concentric therewith.

In the cylinder is mounted a rotor acting as a valve, being generally designated B in Figs. 5 to 7 and formed as follows: A cylindrical shell 8, 30 having sealing rings 3a, has heads 9 and I0 fast thereto and the heads have axial and outward tubular projections or shafts 9a and Illa respectively equipped with hardened metal conical bearing collars 9b and Illb between which and 35 the respective seats 2a-3a are the bearings Il and I2 for the rotor. The shell part of the rotor has internal diametrically opposed counterpart heads or partitions I3 extending from end to end thereof and whose opposite longitudinal faces are 49 radial to the rotor axis, said heads having their adjoining faces shaped to t a certain shaft l1 to be referred to and with which the heads coact to divide the shell-interior into two equal spaces. In the zones of the respective pairs of ports 5-5a and S-Sa the shell has pairs ll-and Ila of slot-like ports, the ports of each pair being diametrically opposite each other. The ports are formed in part through the partitions, two ports ll-Ma leading to one and the other two II-Ma 50 to the other of the mentioned spaces. Further, in the central zone of the rotor andV respectively alined .with and inward of these ports the rotor is formed with holes I5 which extend through the partitions or heads i3 in bias relation to a 55 plane bisecting such heads, those at either side of the rotor crossing each other and leading to the respective spaces. These are to receive the spark-plugs I6.

In and rotative in the same direction lasthe rotor, but intermittently, is a piston generally designated C in Fig. 4. This comprises a shaft and blades acting as piston-heads and projecting oppositely from the shaft or in the same diametric plane. The shaft, I1, has opposed longitudinal grooves I8 and, joining the grooves, a slot Ia, the grooves extending beyond the ends of the slot to form recesses I8b (Fig. 8) for a purpose now to appear. Seated in the grooves are the blades forming `piston-heads or partitions I9, each having terminal lugs I3a iltting said recesses. The ends of the shaft are journaled in annular bearings 2li-2| arranged in bearing housings formed in the rotor shafts as shown in Fig. 1, and these receive said lugs and serve to confine the heads I3 against centrifugal displacement. 'I'he heads or partitions I3 of the rotor being contoured at I3b to iit the shaft and the piston-heads being equipped with sealing strips 22 at their outer and end margins (diagrammatically shown in Figs. 4, 6 vand 10, but see hereafter) each'of the mentioned spaces is divided to form four independent working spaces, or two designated 28 and two designated 23a. The space 23 are to communicate via their ports I4 with the corresponding openings 5 6 and the spaces 23a are to `communicate via their ports Ida with the corresponding openings 5a--6a. As will appear, just as the one pair of openings 5--6 has a lead on (by which I mean is oiset rotatively relatively to)the other, so the corresponding-pair of ports Ill-lli has a lead on the other pair, and in the same direction and to substantially the same extent.

For each cycle of rotation of the rotor and piston around the axis of shaft I7 the piston is twice to be retarded so that its rotation is intermittent. For this purpose the rotor and piston are suitably intergeared, as by the following transmission: Fast to head 3 is a sun-gear 2li and fast to shaft Illa of the rotor is a disk 25 in which is journaled a pair of planet-gears 26 meshing with the sun-gear, the sun-gear being twice the size of each planet-gear. On the corresponding end of the shaft is a crank 21 having diametrically opposed arms and on each planetgear is a crank 2B, such cranks being respectively connected with the arms of crank 2l by links 29.

For the purpose of description of the operation we shall assume that the rotation is clockwise (viewed from the right), though it might be anti-clockwise; due to the intermittent rotation of the piston each Working space is twice contracted and expanded in each cycle. With regard to either working space of the class 23 the intake will be from opening 5 via port I3 for such space and the exhaust will be via said port to opening 6; with regard to either working space of the class 23a the intake will be from opening 5a via port Ila for such space and the exhaust will be via said port to opening 6a. In Fig. 4 the right and left working spaces 23 are respectively undergoing intake and explosion, and the right and left spaces 23a undergoing compression and exhaust (the piston now undergoing retardation); when the rotor has turned past that position at which the piston begins to retard -these several spaces, 23-23a-23-23a, reading clockwise, will be undergoing, respectively, compression, explosion, exhaust and intake; and so on. The intake and exhaust openings 5-8 for the one pair of working spaces 23 have a lead on the other pair (to wit, in the same rotative direction and to substantially the same extent as the corresponding ports It have a lead on the ports Ma) so that initiations of successive cycles of the intake, compression, 'explosion and exhaust stages alect the working spaces (reading anti-clockwise) successively, which would not be the case otherwise.

Succinctly considered the invention contemplates, then, a cylinder, a hollow cylindrical rotor coaxial with and in the cylinder, a piston in and coaxial with the rotor, said piston and rotor respectively having pairs of partitions extending lengthwise of the cylinder axis and alternating with each Aother and together forming in the rotor four independent'working spaces, means to fire the charges in said spaces, and means intergearing the rotor and piston for rotation in a common direction and with retardation of the piston at substantially two equal intervals in each cycle of rotation of the rotor, said cylinderhaving passaged means for intake and exhaust and said rotor constituting a rotary valve for such passaged means and having ports arranged to connect the successive spaces with said passaged means successively in each cycle of rotation of the rotor. l

In the example, said passaged means consists of openings, as the pairs 5 6 and Erz-611, oset from each other axially of the cylinder and having the openings of each pair forming intake and exhaust and the twointakes having leads in one rotative direction on the exhausts; and the rotor has ports leading to its respective working spaces and the alternate and remaining ones oi' such ports entering the rotor at points in the zones of and adapted to communicate with'the respective pairs of openings; and one pair of openings and the pair of ports communicating therewith have leads on the other pair of openings and ports, respectively, in the same rotative direction and to substantially equal extents.

To provide a desirable yield to the transmission, cranks such as that shown in Fig. 9 and corresponding to cranks 28 may be used. This comprises a carrying member 3D whose axis is at 30a and which has a bearing stud 30h and an arcuate groove 30e concentric with such stud. On the latter is Aoscillatory a carried member 3| having a stud 3Ia to which link 23 may be connected and a stud SIb in the groove. The latter contains springs 32 to cushion the thrust of stud 3la and hence the carried member, allowing at times the yield in the transmission.

Ignition is provided for as follows: at 33 in housing 2 is a xed ring-gear. Fixed to shaft 9a and within the housing is a housing 3d in whose wall 35 is journaled a member having a gear 3S meshing with the ring-gear and also having a pinion 31. In an arm 9c of shaft 3a is journaled an element 38 having internal teeth in mesh with pinion 31 and having attached thereto an insulating disk 39 equipped with a metal circuit-closing strip 40. An insulating shell 4I carried by element 38 has a central contact 42, permanently engaged by strip 40, and contacts 43 arranged at equal intervals and in a circle around contact 42. (Parts 38 to 43 constitute a well-known type of distributor.) An insulated high-tension conductor 44 is connected to contact 42. Insulated distributing conductors 45 lead from the respective contacts B3 through suitable passages provided in housing 34,'co1lar 9b and head 9 of the rotor and through bores Il in the rotor partitions I3 to the respective sparkplugs, of course grounded.

Housing 3 is closed at its outer end by a wall 48 to form a lubricant reservoir. In said wall axially of the engine is xed one terminal of a crank 49 whose other terminal finds a bearing in an arm 56a of an annular housing Bil fixed to crank 2, being therefore with the crank an extension of the piston. This housing has radial cylinders 5I communicating therewith and each provided with an inlet port 5ta. In each cylinder is a tubular piston 52 whose bore provides a valveseat 52a closed on the suction stroke of the piston by a ball-valve 53. Each piston is connected with the crank i9 by a link 5t. In the rotation of the cylinders around the main axis of the engine or with the crank 2 oil is drawn from the reservoir and impelled through the bore 55 ci shaft il and then' into spaces 56 formed in the piston blades, from which it issues via 'ports 5l of the blades to between their outer margins and the rotor shell. (To form the spaces 56 and ports 5l each blade may be in two halves, as shown by Fig. 1, each half being' machined out at its inner face.) Issuing from the right hand endof bore 55 past a spring-closed valve 5B it finds its way via ports 59 to the space E@ to the left of wall 36 of housing 3ft, thus lubricating the gearing in said space, from whence it returns to the reservoir via a pipe l. voir through the bore Aga of crank 49 and via a pipe 52 to a space S3 between the cylinder and rotor, 613 being a return pipe connecting said' space with the pipe 6l. Pipe 62 terminates at a suitable pump 65 here of the rotary type and driven by gearing S6 from a gear 50h which closes the end of housing 5G, the pump of course discharging to the reservoir.

Where provision for sealing between two adjoining surfaces (for instance at 22) is required the novel sealing device of Figs. 12 to 14 may be used. A number (no less than three) of elastic iiexible strips tl are arranged in laminated order but with spaces between them. The spaces are occupied by separators, 58, but each separator is unopposed by one in the next adjoining space and when this arrangement is preserved throughout the length of the device, it .is subject to yield through the planes of the strip at any point in such length. The parts will usually be of metal, welded together. Figs. 12 and 14 show two such groups of parts, those of one group having the strips presented edgewise to the planes of those of the other group.

The high tension conductor extends to a coil 69 fast to housing 34 and having a metal annulus connected therewith and comprising rings 7G and l! joined by metal pins 12, the annulus being insulated at 13 from and fixed in concentric relation to the outer wall of housing 34.

On the outer ring wipes a contact 14 to which one lead from the energy source may be connected, the other lead being connected to a contact 15 to wipe against said wall of the housing 34, both contacts being arranged in'housing 2.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim is:

l. In combination, a -cylinder having openings in pairs oiset from each other axially of the cylinder and having the openings of each pair forming an intake and exhaust and the two intakes y having leads in one rotative direction on the exhausts, a hollow cylindrical rotor coaxial with and in the cylinder, a piston in and coaxial with 'I'he oil is also pumped from the reser.

the rotor, said rotor and piston respectively having pairs of partitions extending lengthwise of the cylinder axis and alternating with each other and together forming in the rotor`four independent working spaces and the rotor having ports leading to the respective spaces and the alternate and remaining ones o f such ports entering the rotor at points in the zones of and adapted tov communicate with the respective pairs of openings, and means intergearing the rotor and piston for rotation in a common direction and with retardation of the piston at two substantially equal intervals ineach cycle of rotation of the rotor, one pair of openings and the pair of ports communicating therewith having leads on the other pair of openings and ports, respectively, in the same rotative direction and to substantially equal extents.

2. A rotary internal-combustion engine including a cylinder having openings in pairs oiset from each other axially of the cylinder and having the openings of each pair forming an intake and exhaust and the two intakes having leads in one rotative direction on the exhausts, a hollow cylindrical rotor coaxial with and in the cylinder, a piston in and coaxial with the rotor, said rotor and piston respectively having pairs of partitions extending lengthwise of the cylinder axis and alternating with each other and together forming in the rotor four independent working spaces and the rotor having ports leading to the respective spaces and the alternate and the remaining ones of such ports entering the rotor at points in the zones of and adapted to communicate with the respective pairs of openings, means to lire the charges in said spaces, and means intergearing the rotor and piston for rotation in a common direction and with retardation of the piston at two substantially equal intervals in each cycle of rotation of the rotor, one pair of openings and the pair of ports communicating therewith having leads on the other pair of openings and ports, respectively, in the same rotative direction and to substantially equal extents.

3. A rotary internal-combustion engine including xed structure having a cylinder, a hollow cylindrical rotor coaxial with and in the cylinder, a piston in and coaxial with the rotor, there being at least one partition on one and two partitions on the other of the parts formed by the rotor and piston and said partitions being within and extending lengthwiseof the rotor interior and together forming in the rotor two working spaces and the first-named partition being between the other two, electric ignition devices arranged in the rotor and respectively exposed to said spaces, means intergearing the rotor and piston for rotation in a common direction and with retardation of the piston at two substantially equal intervals ineach cycle of rotation of the rotor, the engine having means to admit successively to said spaces the fuel and successively discharge therefrom the combustion products, a rotary distributor carried eccentrical- 1y by the rotor exterior ofthe cylindrical, a. gear on said structure concentric with the cylinder and in mesh with the distributor and conductors for the respective ignition devices extending thereto from the distributor.

4. A hollow cylindrical rotor for an engine of the class .described having an inward partition extending lengthwise of its interior and having a hole to receive an ignition device and extending from the perimeter of the rotor through the parstructure of a'rotary engine and an explosionrotated element in and coaxial with and fitting the cylinder and projecting therefrom, said structure having endwise of the cylinder a lubricant reservoir receiving the projecting part of said element and an eccentric bearing portion therein, a cylinder extending laterally from said part of said element and Within the reservoir and having an inlet, a tubular piston in the latter cylinder and operatively connected with said bearing portion, said element having` a passage leading therethrough to its surface adjacent toy the first cylinder and forming with the interior of the ,second cylinder a lubricant passage, and a valve arranged to close the lubricant passage on the suction strokes of the piston.

-7. In combination. with the hollow rotor of an engine of the class described having opposed axial openings, a piston including a shaft journaled in said openings and having a longitudinal groove, and a piston blade seated in the groove and having' lugs projecting into said openings.

8. In combination, with the hollow cylindrical rotor of an engine of the class described, a piston including a shaft coaxial with the rotor and having opposed longitudinal grooves 'and a 1ongitudinal slot joining the grooves, and blades arranged in the respective grooves and extending to the inner cylindrical surface of the rotor, one of the blades having passage means extending therethrough from the slot toward said surface and the shaft having means to admit lubricant to the slot.

9. In combination, a cylinder having openings in pairs offset from each other axially of the cylinderand having the openings of each pair forming an intake and an exhaust and the two intakes having leads in one rotative direction on the exhausts, a hollow cylindrical element coaxial with and in the cylinder, another element coaxial with and in the first-named element, said elements respectively having pairs of partitions extending lengthwise of the axis of the cylinder and alternating with eachother and together forming in the first-named element four independent working spaces and said rstnamed element having ports leading to the respective spaces and the alternate and remaining ones-of such ports entering said first-named element at points in the zones of and adapted to communicate with the respective pairs of openings, and means intergearing the two elements for rotation in a common direction and with retardation of one element. at two substantially equal intervals in each cycle of rotation thereof, one pair of openings and the pair of ports communicating therewith having leads on the other pair of openings and ports, respectively, in the same rotative direction and to substantially the same extent.

EDWARD WHRITENOUR. 

